Greetings from the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival!

Matera Women's Fiction FestivalI’m writing this in advance, as I’ll have my hands full attending the annual Matera Women’s Fiction Festival when this is posted. This is my third year attending, so I know what an (enjoyable) hectic pace it is.

Here’s what I’ll be doing when this goes on-line:

First, I’ll be busy eating and drinking well. This is Italy, and Basilicata, like every region in Italy, is proud of its local culinary traditions and wines. What kind of visitor would I be if I didn’t try them out? I almost got lynched in a Matera bakery a few years back when I asked for ‘Altamura bread’, named for a small town in Puglia and known by this name throughout Italy. The owners and customers educated me about the fact that in town it is ‘Matera bread’, and you can be sure I’ve never made the same mistake twice.

Matera, ItalySecond, I’ll be out exploring beautiful Matera, as I do every year. That means walking up and down lots of stairs (which is particularly good after all the eating and drinking).

Third, I’ll be meeting lots of fantastic writers, translators and readers and discussing books and writing. That, in itself, makes it worth the trip (but #1 and #2 aren’t bad incentives either).

Fourth, I’ll be learning lots at the various seminars: How the industry is changing, the shifting role of literary agents, digital promotion, e-presses, screenwriting for novelists, self-publishing, everything about poisons and murder for thriller writers, and revision tips. I’ll be sure to share the highlights with you when I’m back!

And fifth, I’ll be live-pitching to literary agents and small presses. I did this the first time last year, and really enjoyed it. This year, I decided to add more pitch sessions, and to complicate matters by pitching two separate novels, the first to one set of agents and the second to another, depending on their preferences. It’s either an incredibly brilliant strategy or an incredibly stupid one. I’ll find out soon enough… : )

So, readers – warm greetings from the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival. If you’re women writers or female or male writers of women’s fiction – hope to meet you in person next year in Matera.

8 Comments

  1. Nicola Layouni on September 29, 2013 at 9:02 pm

    Hope you have a fabulous time. Can’t wait to hear all the gossip when you get back.

    X

    • kimberlysullivan on September 30, 2013 at 8:32 am

      Thanks, Nicola! JUST back, and it was fabulous. Great sessions and pitching sessions and lots of amazing women writers, who were so generous sharing their experiences and advice. Hoping I can talk you into joining us next year! Will post highlights/lessons learned soon. Still trying to adjust to ‘real life’… : (

  2. Catherine on October 1, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Kimberly I love it how you put the food and wine first! If it’s any comfort it’s sooo hard to be back at home, swamped by submission proposals to follow up and feedback to think over. It was a great event and so priceless to hang out with the lovely Roman ladies! See you in Roma – ti giuro!

  3. kimberlysullivan on October 2, 2013 at 8:32 am

    Hehe! You see how Italian I’ve become, Catherine? I’m with you. Real life has hit me hard, too, after our little annual getaway. SO nice to have enjoyed it with all of you – and we’re anxious to have you down to our writers’group before the snows fall up north and we’ve lost you to skiing. Best of luck with the submissions and follow-up. I’ll want to hear…

  4. VALDIVIA S BEAUCHAMP on April 11, 2023 at 5:58 am

    This is the published author VALDÍVIA S BEAUCHAMP,
    Enquiring about the WFF’s dates for 2023?
    Thank you for the reply
    .
    Valdívia
    beauchampval@gmail.com

  5. VALDIVIA BEAUCHAMP on April 11, 2023 at 6:03 am

    Dear Kimberly Sullivan,
    We’ve met a few years ago, perhaps on 2010? Not so sure about the year.
    We would like to hear from you about the agenda for this year?
    When it’ll start this year? We appreciate your reply
    Best regards
    Valdívia S Beauchamp

    • Kimberly Sullivan on April 12, 2023 at 6:27 am

      Hi Valdivia – Hoping we’ll have the chance to meet again! I haven’t been in a few years. I know the Festival stopped for a while. I know they were supposed to begin once again, but it clashed with another conference I go to – and now I see their site is no longer active. : ( Will keep an eye out – it was such a special event in such a pretty venue! Happy writing – Kimberly

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